Question the Claims about Rose Marina
Rick responds to Rose Marina's full page newspaper ad promoting its redevelopment plans with a full page newspaper ad of his own.
Rick Woodworth
9/3/20262 min read
Rose Marina recently published an ad in the Coastal Breeze News promoting its redevelopment proposal. I have responded with an ad of my own (see image below) because I believe Marco Island residents deserve to hear more than one side of this story.
Please read both ads and question the claims being made by Rose Marina.
This redevelopment proposal is about much more than improving an aging marina. It could establish Rose Marina as a commercial cruise ship destination, with passengers brought to the marina by bus instead of being limited by the number of parking spaces available on the property.
This is a very bad idea. The City’s parking requirements are not simply about where people leave their cars. They are one of the primary tools used to control the intensity of a commercial property. If Rose Marina is permitted to bypass those requirements by bussing in passengers, the parking matrix would effectively cease to be a meaningful control on intensity. It would also set a deeply troubling precedent that other businesses could seek to follow across the island.
There are also serious unanswered questions about the potential effects of large commercial vessels like cruise ships on Factory Bay. These concerns include turbidity, damage to seagrass, risks to manatees, water quality, noise and diesel emissions. To my knowledge, no environmental study evaluating these potential impacts has been conducted or presented to the public.
We also need clear documentation showing that commercial cruise ship docking is legally permitted at this location and has been properly authorized by the appropriate state agencies. Rose Marina has reportedly been docking cruise ships for more than a year, apparently without first seeking approval from either the City or the state. If that is true, important questions about environmental impact, public safety and emergency preparedness may never have been asked before this activity began.
This proposal could affect our waterways, roads, neighborhoods, evacuation route and the City’s ability to control development intensity throughout Marco Island. Once this type of commercial use becomes established, it may be impossible to reverse.
The Rose Marina redevelopment proposal is scheduled to come before the Marco Island City Council on Thursday, September 10, at 5:30 p.m. Please note that this is a Thursday, which is an unusual day for a City Council meeting. Before approving anything, the Council must fully investigate these issues and provide residents with clear, documented answers.
If you have concerns or strong opinions about this proposal, now is the time to email City Council at city_council@cityofmarcoisland.com. Better yet, if you are on the island, please attend the September 10 meeting and speak up.
If this passes, Marco Island could be forever changed. Please pay attention and make your voice heard if you share my concerns.
Thank you,
-Rick
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Political advertisement paid for and approved by Rick Woodworth, 2026 candidate for Marco Island City Council